


I would Rise For You, Live For You And Fight For You

by Anonamagal



Series: Space Husbands who fight together, stay together. [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Fluff, Getting Together, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Marriage, Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining, Soft Keith (Voltron), Soft Lance (Voltron), Soul Bond, kind of, supportive boyfriends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-08
Updated: 2019-10-08
Packaged: 2020-11-27 22:22:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20955857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anonamagal/pseuds/Anonamagal
Summary: The course of true love never did run smooth... but Keith and Lance had this whole love thing figured out.





	I would Rise For You, Live For You And Fight For You

Falling into bed together wasn’t something that had been planned or even close to something they had expected to happen. They’d just been hanging out in the training room, sparring a little after dinner, they’d walked back together since their rooms were right next to each other and then Lance had said something dumb and just on this side of flirty and suddenly Keith was herding Lance against his door and pressing his mouth firmly over his.

And yes, this development was shocking but what might have been more shocking was instead of shoving Keith off, Lance moaned into his mouth, grabbed Keith by his collar and yanked him back into his room.

Ok. So there might have been some tension between them the last couple of weeks, Lance’s revelation came to him in the dead of night when the silence kept him awake. His strange obsession – and look he’s big enough to admit he had a strong fixation on Keith – was not because he wanted to be better, but because he wanted to stand as Keith’s equal.

And that might have been a normal ambition that didn’t lead him to be awkward around Keith had he not also daydreamed about them holding hands (and maybe some more explicit things had crossed his mind too).

Keith’s revelation had been more of a ‘me gay, you pretty’ moment, only to be shoved away by the circumstances of the moment until the next quiet moment he had, where he could think about Lance’s blue eyes and freckled skin and about how much he wanted to mark it up with his teeth.

Either way the tension broke with a silly flirtatious remark and now Keith had Lance folded over on his bed with three fingers knuckle deep inside Lance while Lance babbled incoherently.

Lance wasn’t sure what to expect when it was all over. Exhausted and panting he blinked up at the ceiling waiting for his senses to come crawling back from what ever cosmos Keith had sent them to and then the bed shifted and Lance frowned. In seconds his senses snapped back, and he lifted his head to watch Keith sitting up, jerkily yanking his shirt back on.

Was this not… oh. Fucking Oh. Realisations of this kind were not nice, Lance decided, hurt and anger were both fighting for dominance and like fuck he was going to let Keith walk out without saying something.

‘Most people are at least polite enough to wait until their partner is asleep before sneaking out.’ Lance snapped, with venom in his voice. Keith stiffened, pausing midway to his feet. ‘So, what’s the plan? We gonna act like nothing even happened and move on with our lives.’

‘It’s for the best, this was… it shouldn’t have happened.’ Keith said, shaking his head.

‘So, you’re saying this was a mistake?’ And ok, that hurt, like, a lot.

Keith’s silence spoke volumes. Lance clicked his tongue and fell back against the bed, looking back up at the ceiling.

‘I’m just not cut out for this Lance.’ Keith said, his tone desperate. 

‘Should have thought about that before you screwed me.’

‘I’m sorry.’

‘Whatever, but this is the only time, you walk out now there are no other chances, I’ll move on because I deserve better then to be someone’s fucking stress relief or whatever the fuck this was.’

‘Wait.’ Keith turned around then, a confused frown sitting heavily on face. ‘What was this?’ Lance stared at him blankly for a moment, was this guy serious? What the actual cheese.

‘You tell me, arsehole, I wasn’t the one trying to hightail it out of here while I was getting ready to get my cuddle on.’ Lance snapped, yanking the covers up and over his shoulders, he flipped onto his side, facing away from Keith, and curled up. ‘Well you’ve missed your chance, my cuddle is off, you know where the door is.’

Keith didn’t move and when he did the bed was dipping and suddenly Keith was hovering over him.

‘Lance, I think I might have misunderstood what was happening here.’ Keith admitted.

‘What was there to misunderstand?’

‘I thought you just wanted sex.’ At this, Lance turned onto his back again so that he could look up at Keith.

‘I thought you just wanted sex.’ Lance said as well. ‘Wait, but you said you couldn’t do this, what did you mean by that?’

‘I couldn’t be just a hook up, I want more, with you.’ He said, words stilted and his face pink. The pain in Lance’s chest faded and he laughed.

‘We’re idiots, Keith, big dumb dumbs because I want more with you too, it didn’t even occur to me that this was a hook up and I thought that maybe you reciprocated my feelings.’

‘I do!’ Keith insisted. ‘I really do.’

‘Ok, good, we like each other, great.’ Lance babbled, grin growing, to match the one that’s steadily growing on Keith’s.

‘Great.’ Keith repeated, smile blindingly beautiful.

‘Ok, my cuddle is back on, get that shirt off and give me some skin.’ Chuckling, Keith yanked his top off and chucked it off the bed without looking away from Lance.

‘I’ve got a much better idea.’ Keith’s grin is almost feral as he slides down Lance’s body.

‘Oh boy.’ Lance sighed, he whimpered pathetically when Keith wrapped his lips around Lance. Best boyfriend ever.

So, they start dating.

Nothing much really changes, except Lance felt like he’s walking on air. And he learns things about Keith, like that he’s uncomfortable with PDA so Lance respects that but Keith softens the distance by pressing their arms together during meetings, being extra handsy during training and being generally closer with more soft smiles and meaningful glances.

Lance can control his impulses to cuddle Keith and smother him with kisses if it means Keith will keep looking at him like that.

Behind closed doors though is a different story. Keith would come in and throw himself down over Lance if he’s already in bed, or drag him down if he’s not, he would bury his head into Lance’s neck and inhale deeply like Lance was his favourite scent.

And the sex was a definite perk to dating Keith.

But they also talked, for hours sometimes, learning so many things about each other, or they would talk about absolutely nothing, or sometimes they would just sit together in silence enjoying each other’s company.

At night, when they both felt restless, they would sneak out to the kitchen and take some food down to the observation room where they would eat and talk and watch the passing stars. Dates, those were definitely dates.

Being with Keith was easy.

And supporting him when Shiro went missing and he became the black paladin was easy, It was heart-breaking but he liked to think he had helped Keith. And Keith helped him when Blue shut him out and Red called for him instead.

When Shiro returned, Keith started training with the blade and Lance understood, he wouldn’t get in Keith’s way because Keith needed to learn about himself and Lance believed in Keith.

And even when Keith left for the blades permanently, Lance just kissed him softly, smiled sadly and told him to stay safe. He watched Keith’s ship fly away until it disappeared and cried himself to sleep.

But he still believed in Keith, so he got on with his duty and waited for the day Keith was ready to come back.

***

Lance was furious, He made a point of stomping his way through the castle towards the hangers where he knew Keith’s stolen Galra fighter was landed, muttering angrily under his breath.

His first sight of Keith was a relief, after months of just seeing him through a screen all he wanted to do was wrap him up in a tight hug and drag him to bed where they could sleep for a million years.

And then he remembered what Matt had told him and his anger returned tenfold.

‘What the heck were you thinking!?’ He shouted across the room. Keith’s head snapped up, eyes round as he stared at the approaching Lance with something like awe and trepidation.

‘I was doing what I had to.’ He replied. ‘I couldn’t lose you.’ He choked out.

‘And what about me? I almost lost you today.’

‘You’re strong, you would have moved on.’

‘You’re an idiot.’ Lance growled. ‘I don’t want to have to move on, I want you here, alive and warm, and with me.’ His eyes were stinging, and he knew that he was seconds away from crying. ‘I love you and I don’t think I would ever recover from losing you.’

‘You… love me?’

‘You must know that I do.’ Ok, so he was crying now. Keith smiled sadly.

‘I’m an idiot remember.’ He took a step closer. ‘I never wanted to hurt you and I definitely didn’t want to die, it was the only thing I could think to do in that moment and you know what I’m like, you were always my impulse control.’ He says softly and affectionately. He takes another step closer and cautiously reached forwards and lightly wrapped his fingers around Lance’s hand. ‘You know I love you to, right?’

Lance sobbed pathetically and threw himself at Keith. ‘Yeah, course I do, I know how to read Keith and every look and every smile told me how much you love me which is why I let you leave because I believed you would come to me.’

‘I would, every time, no matter what.’

‘I’m still mad at you but I’m so damn happy to see you, let’s go clean up and then we can catch up.’

They spent the night reacquainting themselves fully but before the night was over Keith nervously told Lance about this ritual of union that Galra performed with someone they loved, he taught Lance the words and the gestures they need to make and then it occurred to Lance quite suddenly.

‘Keith? Are you asking me to marry you?’

Keith’s face bloomed red and glanced away.

‘I guess it’s technically like marriage but this is more, deeper.’ He ran a shaking hand through his hair. ‘This bond will manifest physically, I’ll feel you in here,’ He points at his own chest, ‘and you’ll feel me in yours, so no matter how far apart we are we’ll always know that he other is safe, and hopefully you won’t feel so far away anymore.’ He laughed sadly. ‘I miss you so much when I’m out there, Lance, like there’s a hole in my chest.’

And Lance understood that feeling all to well, he smiled warmly.

‘This bond won’t fade no matter how far away we are from each other, so I could be at the other side of the universe but it would still feel like I had you with me.’

‘Alright, let’s do it.’ Lance said, eagerness pouring out of him. Keith seemed surprised by the enthusiastic response. Lance rolled his eyes. ‘Oh come on, you know I’m a sucker for romantic gestures and you made me swoon so hard right there. What do we need to do?’

‘I uh… like right now?’

‘Yes right now, who knows how long I have you for before the Blade come calling, I don’t want miss this chance.’

‘Alright, we need a token to exchange, something meaningful.’ Lance thought about what he had with him and brightened when he thought of just the thing. He leapt out of bed, naked, and riffled through his jacket that was hanging on the wall. He pulled out the small trinket and brought it to his lips. He then turned and climbed back into bed.

Keith in turn reached down to the floor from the bed and pulled up his belt, he reached into one of the pouches and pulled something small out.

‘There’s a few things we need to say before we present our offerings, the words I taught you, I go first since I made the offer.’ Lance smiled and nodded. The words were in Galran but Lance knew their meaning.

‘_I offer you this token of my soul so that you may carry a part of me with you always, for you I would rise, for you I would live and for you I would fight.’ _

Keith opened his palm and in it lay a ring, slim and silver with a beautiful design etched into it.

‘My dad had this made for my mum, she left before he could give it to her but he always carried for the day she would come back, he was always certain she would and then he died, it was in the belongings he wanted me to have and for a long time I hated it because I never believed she was coming back,’ Keith who had been looking down at the ring, looked up at Lance and smiled. ‘But then I met you, and I finally understood why my dad stayed so loyal to her, I would do anything for you Lance, and I’d wait till of time for you.’

Lance was definitely crying now but he was also smiling when he gently lifted the ring from Keith’s palm, he debated which handed to put it on before sliding onto the ring finger of his right hand. Lance smiled coyly when Keith arched a brow in question.

‘Saving this finger for when we get back to Earth and you marry me in front of all our family and friends.’ He offered while wiggling his left ring finger.

‘Sure.’ Keith snorted softly. ‘Your turn.’

Lance licked his lips and hoped he didn’t mess this up. From his lap he pulled up his token and offered a ring of his own, this one was attached to a chain.

‘_I accept your token and offer one in return so you may carry a part of me with you always, for you I would rise, for you I would live and for you I would fight.’_

‘This belonged to my abuelos, they were so madly in love with each other, together for over seventy years, when abuela died, Abuelo followed, but before then, they had this made for me, I was the baby of the family, and a surprise, and all my other siblings got a nice heirloom to pass on but me so my abuelos had their wedding rings melted and remade into one ring and engraved it. _A love that weathers all time. _Mama gave it to me on my sixteenth.’

Keith looked misty eyed as he took the ring from Lance, he took the chain off and slipped the ring onto his right ring finger, it fit perfectly. Lance smiled.

‘Like it was made for you.’ Lance said warmly. ‘I mean what are the chances that we’d both be carrying rings that were a perfect a fit for each other, crazy right?’

‘I guess we were just meant to be.’

‘No one would believe me if I told them how sappy you could be.’ They shared a laugh and Keith leant up to kiss Lance lightly on the lips.

‘We should finish.’

‘Ok.’

‘_I accept you into my heart and into my soul.’ _Keith murmured softly. Lance repeated the words and then there was a gentle glow between the two of them, they both looked down and in that moment Lance felt it, a fluttering next to his own heart that was so warm, it felt like being surrounded by Keith when they cuddled deep under the covers.

‘Woah.’ Lance said, bringing a hand up to his chest where the light was beginning to fade.

‘Yeah.’ Keith agreed.

‘I can actually feel your heart beat, and it’s so warm.’ Lance awed. In lieu of answering Keith lunged forward, slotting their lips together, they crashed back onto the bed and Keith really showed him just how warm he could be.

By the end of the next day Kolivan summoned Keith and just like that he was gone again but this time Lance presses his fingers to his chest where he can feel that piece of Keith and he felt a little less lonely, the ring glinted, catching the light of a passing star and Lance smiled.

***

When Keith hopped out of the pod Lance knows he’s no longer imagining it, Keith was bigger, his face losing its last vestige of childhood as he turns into a man, and he was taller too. Lance was frozen to the spot, just were the hell had Keith been, it’s only been a few months, so how come he have changed so much?

Keith scanned the group until his gaze landed on Lance and everything just seemed to melt away until it was just the two of them, Keith looked as if he was seeing the sun for the first time in a long time. And then he was charging forward, straight at Lance.

Without hesitation Lance opened his arms and braced himself when Keith barrelled into him, he wrapped him up tightly not missing the way he seemed to tremble. And then Keith is leaning away and pulling Lance closer until their kissing.

Lance relaxed into the kiss, his eyes sliding closed, his hands slid up Keith back to hug him closer.

And then an awkward cough has them pulling apart and they glanced at the rest of the team who are gaping at them with wide eyes.

Lance turned to them and Keith adjusted his hold so that his arm was around his back, his hand resting on his hip.

‘What’s with you guys?’ He asked.

‘What’s with us?’ Pidge cried. ‘What the heck are you two doing?’ Keith and Lance exchanged a glance.

‘Kissing?’ He offered with a shrug, he thought it was pretty obvious.

‘And since when do you two do that?’ She asked, absolutely bewildered.

‘Since we started dating.’

‘How long has this been going?’

‘A year and a half.’ ‘Three years and a half.’ Lance and Keith said at the same time. Lance’s head whipped around to look at Keith. ‘Huh?’

‘Oh right, I should explain, I was travelling through a quantum abyss, time moved differently for me there so I’ve actually been gone for two years.’

‘Two years!’ Lance exclaimed.

‘Hmm, and I missed you so much.’ He murmured, burying his face into Lance’s neck. 

‘Ok I’ll process that later, but for now,’ he returned his attention back to the group, ‘are you telling me that you guys didn’t know Keith and I were a thing?’ He asked, bewildered.

‘How would we, you guys never did anything that made us think you were a couple.’ Pidge said, she looked to be thinking hard about something. ‘you were closer, sure, but I had assumed it was because you were being a more supportive team mate.’

‘Ok, firstly, I’ve always been a supportive teammate, and secondly, I was respecting Keith’s boundaries, not everyone is ok with PDA, you know.’ At his side Keith shifted, so he peeked up and saw Keith smiling down at him – down at him because Keith was taller and two year older! – in that way that always made Lance’s heart do a million and one summersaults.

‘I did always appreciate that.’ Keith said, leaning across to plant a kiss to Lance’s temple. Keith was being a lot more affectionate then he used to be, but then if Lance had not seen Keith for over two years he would be clinging to Keith like a limpet.

‘But you never told me.’ Hunk added in, pouting at Lance. ‘You usually gush about the people you’re dating.’

Lance opened his mouth to answer only it snapped shut when the Galra lady that had climbed out after Keith stepped up to them.

‘Perhaps we can leave this for another time, I think we have something more pressing to address.’ She reminded and Keith stiffened, remembering their purpose, his hand tightened on Lance hip before sliding off to address the whole group.

‘We need to stop Lotor.’ Keith said, stepping into the role of leader with a confidence that made Lance both proud and sad, because he’d missed two years of Keith’s life and become someone that Lance wasn’t sure he could keep up with.

***

Lotor’s betrayal was hardly a surprise to him, he ached for Allura whose feelings had been genuine, and on some level, Lotor’s may have been genuine too, but that didn’t change what Lotor had done and what he wanted to do.

‘I must confess,’ Allura said, voice small, ‘I thought you had feeling for me.’ She laughed in a self-depreciating manner. Lance frowned, had he led her to believe he did, they had gotten closer over the months as friends. Lance had matured in a lot of ways both from his relationship with Keith and time as a paladin, so it was easier for him to drop his façade and be there for his team, Allura had had a few moments of self-doubt where Lance had done his best to lift her spirits but it hadn’t occurred to him that she may have read that as something else.

‘I didn’t mean to give that impression, I may have been a horrible flirt at the beginning but it was meant as playful banter, Keith and I… it was a complicated thing at the beginning but I think even then he was it for me, I was just too stubborn and immature to see it then, being with him, having someone that I would do anything to make happy, I think has helped me become a better person.’

‘I see,’ Allura laughed, glancing at her mice who were all pointedly looking away. ‘I believe I know where this misunderstanding arose, my friends can be terrible gossips.’ Lance looked at the mice in confusion. ‘But in a lot of ways it makes sense that Keith would be the one to drive you to be the best you can be, always trying to one up each other isn’t a bad thing if it has positive effect on both of your developments, you’ve taken that rivalry and turned it into unconditional support.’

‘Yeah.’ Lance agreed, smiling as he thought about how far he and Keith had come, together.

‘It must have hurt to see him leave for the Blade.’ She commented, her eyes misty. Lance smiled sadly and shrugged.

‘Of course it did but standing in his way would have hurt us both more.’ He rested a hand against his chest where Keith heart beat against his. ‘Beside we found a way to close the distance.’

‘When did you become so wise?’ She laughed, tears glittering along her eyelashes. ‘I feel like all I’ve done is make one mistake after another, and because of my weakness the universe is in jeopardy.’

‘No Allura, feelings aren’t a weakness, the heart wants what it wants, sometimes we don’t have any control over that, and Lotor, well he had us all fooled.’

‘I beginning to think you were the only one who wasn’t.’ She noted.

‘I’ve watched a lot movies with this same exact plotline,’ He joked but he sighed and faced Allura, he planted his hands on her shoulders and levelled her with a look. ‘Take it from me Princess, as a man who has made a million mistakes before, you just have to get back up and try again, there’s always a second chance for those who deserve it. And you do.’ Then he pulled her into a hug because it hurts him to think about how long Allura has had to be strong for and sometimes a person just needed a shoulder to cry on.

‘You are truly a great friend, Lance.’ She said, slightly muffled against his shoulder. Lance laughed.

‘Are you only just realising this?’ He teased and she laughed.

From behind him there’s an alert just before Keith’s voice called out.

‘Hailing the castle of lions. This is Keith.’

Lance pulled away from Allura and spun abruptly to face the video feed of Keith, tired and with a brand new scar on his face but otherwise alive.

‘Keith, you’re ok! What’s happening? Where did you go? Did you get Shiro?’ He asked in quick succession.

‘Yeah, I got Shiro but not the Shiro we know, the one that Lotor took was a clone.’ Lance frowned at this news, something tugging at his memory.

‘Where’s the real one then?’ He asked.

‘It’s complicated, and I’ll explain everything later but right now we need to focus on Lotor, he’s heading back towards your location with the Sincline, he’s going to try and enter the quintessence field again. I’m on my way but without a wormhole it’s going to take me a while, you’ll have to hold him off without me.’

‘We’ll do what we can.’ Lance announced, confident. Keith smiled, eyes going soft.

‘I know, stay safe Lance and I’ll be with you as fast I can.’

‘See you soon.’

The video feed cuts out and Lance turned back to Allura. There’s thunder on her face.

‘Accessing the quintessence field has been Lotor's singular drive for millennia. He wants to harness the power for himself, but we cannot let him. Thankfully, there's only one way into the quintessence field. Through the inter-reality gate so we must destroy it.’ 

Lance nodded, he grabbed his helmet off his terminal and puts it on. ‘Let’s get to our lions, we’ll destroy the gate and when Lotor arrives we’ll stop him.’ 

Destroying the gate doesn’t stop Lotor and soon the lions are overwhelmed by the ferocity of Lotor’s onslaught, they can’t keep up and without Voltron they weren’t strong enough to fight him, so until Keith arrived it was a game of don’t get hit.

‘Pidge! Get out of his line of fire!’ Lance shouted, narrowly avoiding a stray shot.

‘I can’t, he’s locked on to me,’ She grunted when struck with a blast. ‘I’m taking heavy fire!’

‘Get out of there, I’m going in!’ He shouted, pushing forwards. ‘Form jaw-blade!’ But before he can hit the Sincline spins and catches him with its tail, sending him careening, spinning and turning against his control, he holds on tight and grunted with every sharp movement.

‘Lance!’ He heard Hunk cry. When Lance finally managed to regain control of his lion it’s just in time to see the Black Lion appear, relief and disbelief warring for first place.

‘Keith! How did you get here so fast.’ He cried. Keith’s face appears on a screen to Lance’s left and he grinned.

‘I had some help.’ He said with meaning. ‘But for now guys we don’t have much time. On me, Form Voltron!’ 

Lance would like to say the fight became easier and that it all went smoothly but that would be a lie, true they won the fight, and Lotor, lost to his madness was sealed away in the quintessence field but the collateral of the Sincline moving in and out of reality was too big and so they had to sacrifice their ship that had become their home.

But all that was inconsequential because they were all alive, thanks to Allura they now had Shiro back and they were on their way back to Earth.

And for the first time in what felt like forever, Lance finally got to be with Keith.

In the red lion, resting on a planet between stretches, Lance lay across Keith’s chest, tracing new scars with curious fingers, asking about each one as he went. Keith in turn ran his fingers through Lance’s hair, a moment of contented peace.

‘There was something I wanted to ask?’ Keith said, hand stilling. Lance glanced up and waited. A little while back there was a moment, where I couldn’t feel you…’ Lance stilled, holding his breath, he knows exactly which moment Keith is referring to. ‘This bond isn’t permanent, so I guess I wandered if there was a moment where you reconsidered.’

Lance sat up and stared down at Keith with wide eyes. ‘Never. Not once.’ Keith relaxed but still he frowned.

‘Then what –’

‘I died.’ He declared, best just get it out of the way. Keith stiffened, frozen in surprise before throwing himself up to face Lance properly.

‘What are you talking about?’ He demanded.

‘I took a hit for Allura and I died but she brought me back, it was only for a moment, but I was dead, it must have been why you couldn’t feel me, I’m sorry you thought…’

‘Forget what I thought!’ Keith snapped. ‘You fucking died, and I was wasting time thinking about how you might not want me anymore for being gone so long.’

‘You didn’t know.’ Lance argued. ‘No one did, it happened and then other stuff happened and then more stuff happened, we all knew dying was a possibility when we signed up for this.’

‘I don’t think you understand how much it would ruin me if you died Lance, I can’t do this without you.’

‘Yes you could, you wouldn’t have a choice, the universe needs us, and in the event that one of doesn’t make it the rest of us have to keep going.’ Lance urged. ‘The thought of losing you kills me too Keith, I dream of this future for us, after the war where we can be together without the fear of losing each other.’

Keith frowned and then his face lights us as if he just remembered something.

‘We will survive this Lance, both of us.’

‘You can’t promise that.’ But Keith is shaking his head, smiling.

‘I can, I ‘ve seen it, back in the Quantum Abyss. Krolia and I kept getting flashes of the past and the future, I learnt about my past and my mum’s and I saw snippets of the future, I saw you, older,’ He ran a finger across Lance’s cheek tenderly, ‘but still so beautiful, smiling and full of life, you were waiting for me, hand outstretched, dressed in a white suit.’ Tears begin to gather in Lance’s eyes. ‘I’ve seen the planets we explore together. I’ve seen the house we’ll grow old in together. And, oh Lance, I’ve seen the children we’ll have.’ Lance can’t help it, he sobbed, tears dripping freely but he smiled.

‘Really?’ He whispered.

‘Yeah, we have so much to look forward to, you and I.’

Lance lunged forwards, sealing his mouth over Keith’s and knocking them down onto the makeshift bed.

‘I love you.’ He gushed. ‘So quiznacking much.’ Keith laughed into the kiss.

‘You’re finally using that word right.’ He teased, laughing harder when Lance slapped him lightly, with a faux pout. ‘I love you too.’ He returned warmly. ‘More than you’ll ever know.’

Lance ducked his head and kissed him again, and again, and again.

*** 

‘So I have to know,’ Hunk began one evening when they’re all seated around a campfire on another planet. ‘how come none us knew you guys were dating, I feel like you would have gushed madly about it Lance.’

Lance had wanted to, so badly, but Keith was a private person and Lance knew this relationship was different.

‘Because you guys weren’t paying attention, we didn’t announce it because we didn’t feel like we had to and I didn’t spill because I respect Keith’s want for privacy.’ Lance explained, he grabbed Keith’s hand and when he didn’t pull away – sometimes he forgot that Keith was more open about affectionate displays since coming back – he started to fiddle with his fingers.

‘Also I was scared of messing it up, I always jumped head first into relationships and I think I ruined it by being too much but Keith is different, he’d already seen me at my worst, he’s seen me fail, he’s seen me win and he’s seen me when I’m making an idiot out of myself and at the end of the day he still wanted to be with me. I didn’t need to become someone else, so I relaxed and I didn’t try too hard, as long as I could make him happy that was all that mattered.’

The group was silent after that until Hunk sniffed obnoxiously loudly, tears in his eyes.

‘That’s just so sweet, I can’t believe we didn’t see it. And too think we thought you had a thing for Allura.’

Keith tilted his head curiously at his side and side eyed Lance with an arch brow.

‘I’m sorry, what?’ He asked, humoured.

‘I thought they were teasing me about you so I didn’t correct them but apparently the entire castle thought I was pining after Allura and that the reason I didn’t like Lotor was because I was jealous, and the mice betrayed my trust when I was confiding in them about you and told Allura what I said only they thought I was talking about her too so Allura is agonising on how to let me down and the whole time my head is in Keith land so I had no idea any of this was going on until Allura told me.’ Lance took a deep breath after his rant and gave them all unimpressed looks. ‘While I was wasting away pining after my missing boyfriend, these guys were gossiping about me behind me back.’

Keith hummed in sympathy and wrapped Lance up in a warm hug.

‘I was under the impression he was your husband.’ Krolia interjected suddenly, she was casually sipping her soup, eyes trained on Lance.

Lance straightened up, face heating up as he met Keith’s gaze, face as red as Lance’s.

‘Right,’ Lance said. ‘I guess that is a thing isn’t it?’ Keith nodded.

‘According to Krolia a Galran marriage isn’t documented through paperwork like it would be on Earth, the words are binding in both a spiritual way and legal way, so to the Galran we are husbands, or as they call them an Alma pair.’ Keith explained, clearly embarrassed.

‘You guys got married and didn’t invite us?’ Hunk accused.

‘Alma union is an intensely private affair.’ Krolia informed him.

‘Oh ok then never mind.’ Hunk sat back amiably.

‘When did you perform this union?’ Allura asked, looking between the two of them.

Lance bit his lip and looked at Keith who was staring down at their joined hands.

‘Right after the battle for Naxela, when Keith almost…’ He didn’t finish the sentence, everyone already knew. ‘…it was a way for us to be connected even when we were lightyears apart.’ He pressed a hand to his chest where Keith’s heart beat against his own, it had been a great comfort to him during their separation. ‘For me to know Keith was ok and not dead on some asteroid somewhere.’ He smiled at Keith who was now gazing at Lance. ‘And it was hella romantic, I almost swooned right off the bed.’

Keith snorted, his grin wide even as he shook his head in fond exasperation.

‘The Alma union connects hearts and souls in a way that means we can feel each other in here,’ Keith explained, pointing to his own chest, ‘when Lance and I completed the ritual it was like I was filling a hole, I could feel his heart, I could feel his warmth and I could feel how much he… loved me. Even when I was on the other side of the universe, it felt like he was right next to me. It really helped ground me while we were stuck on the back of that space whale.’

‘Amongst other things.’ Krolia tacked on with a sly grin, Keith pulled a face. ‘I felt like I got to know you quite well Lance, too well perhaps.’ Lance frowned, glancing between Krolia’s amused gaze and Keith’s reddening face. Lance laughed nervously, feeling as if he was missing something.

‘I had no control over what we would see.’ Keith ground out, clearly quite embarrassed.

Lance is beginning to get the picture, face heating up. ‘Keith?’ He questioned with a whine.

‘Look,’ Keith started, ‘I love having sex with Lance.’ He announced suddenly. Lance squeaked in alarm, his face heating up dangerously as he glanced nervously around the circle at all their friends.

‘Oh my god.’ Lance whined.

‘So naturally there was going to be a lot of it in our future, statistically speaking something of that nature was going to crop up eventually over the course of two years.’ Keith snapped, daring anyone to argue with him.

‘Oh my god… your mum has seen me naked… she’s going to think I’m a hussy.’ Lance whispered, horrified, how was he supposed to look Krolia in the eyes after that revelation.

‘You weren’t always completely naked.’ Keith offered, unhelpfully.

‘And you couldn’t have warned me you were having sexy visions that your mum was privy to, how am I supposed to impress her when she’s seen me all… like that.’ He snapped.

‘The sex visions were nice and mum didn’t watch, so relax, but they were kind of overshadowed by other visions that I already told you about.’ Keith peeked up Lance through his bangs and Lance melted because he knew exactly what visions Keith was talking about.

‘Ok, fair, I wish I could have seen them.’

‘You will.’ Keith promised. ‘I’ll make sure of it.’ They shared a soft smile.

‘Lance.’ Lance sat up straight, Keith’s mum was addressing him directly and Lance was man enough to admit she was intimidating as heck. ‘I have seen enough in plenty of other flashes to know that you are worthy of Keith’s loyalty, both future and present, thank you for making him happy.’

Lance blinked up at her for a moment, his hand tight in Keith’s before smiling gently in thanks.

‘Making him happy is a privilege I’m proud to have, he makes me ridiculously happy too.’

‘Ugh, they’re all gross and sappy,’ Pidged whined. ‘How did we not see this before?’

‘I think it’s lovely.’ Romelle gushed.

‘I’m happy for you Keith.’ Shiro offered, joining the group, he dropped his remaining hand on Keith’s shoulder. ‘At least I won’t have to listen to whine about how unfair it is that Lance is so cute now.’

Keith’s went crimson with embarrassment and outrage, while Lance gasped with glee.

‘Babe! You had a crush on me?’ Lance tittered, he tilted his head coyly and hid a smile behind a hand. ‘How embarrassing.’ He snickered.

‘Allura I’ve changed my mind,’ Keith yelled, ‘send Shiro back to Black.’ Shiro laughed brightly, patting Keith’s shoulder before joining them on the log.

‘I’m sorry to disappoint you Shiro,’ Krolia started up, Keith began shaking his head quite vigorously, ‘but Keith still likes to gush about how cute Lance is, he was always sighing longingly and smiling like a lovestruck pup.’

‘Ok, I’m surrounded by traitors apparently.’ Keith spat, he got to his feet and tugged Lance up too, who followed loyally and with a giddy smile. ‘We’re going to Red, if any of you need us, don’t.’

As they walked away from the group, Hunk and Pidge cheered and whistled obnoxiously.

‘Get some Lance!’ Pidge yelled.

‘Planned on it!’ He yelled back over his shoulder and laughed boisterously when Keith slapped a hand over his face.

But Lance did in fact ‘get some’ that night. 


End file.
